Samuel Ortom has explained why he made his vehicle available to Peter Obi during the presidential candidate’s recent visit to Benue State.
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Meta description: Ortom lent Obi his vehicle during a Benue visit to support the former governor’s humanitarian mission, rejecting claims of political wrongdoing.
Tags: Samuel Ortom, Ortom lent Obi his vehicle, Peter Obi, Hyacinth Alia, Benue State politics, NDC, 2027 election, Yelwata visit, Benue killings, Peter Obi Benue visit, Samuel Ortom vehicle, Benue State Government
The former Benue State governor said he had no political motive for helping Obi with transportation. He described the gesture as a simple act of courtesy between two Nigerian leaders.
Ortom spoke through his media aide, Terver Akase, while reacting to comments from Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration. The state government had accused Ortom of facilitating Obi’s visit to Benue.
The former governor rejected the allegation and said refusing to help would have been petty.
His explanation comes amid growing political tension in Benue ahead of the 2027 elections. The disagreement also follows Obi’s unsuccessful attempt to reach Yelwata during his visit.
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Why Ortom gave Obi his vehicle
According to Ortom, Obi’s status made the gesture a normal act of hospitality. He argued that Obi remains a former governor and a major political figure in Nigeria.
Obi travelled to Benue to visit communities affected by deadly attacks. Ortom said the trip had a humanitarian purpose.
He therefore saw no reason to turn transportation into a political controversy. Instead, he considered helping Obi the appropriate thing to do.
Ortom also argued that the Benue State Government should have provided transportation for such a high-profile visitor.
He said denying Obi assistance would have appeared inhospitable. He also described such a decision as beneath the dignity expected from public leaders.
The former governor maintained that Ortom lent Obi his vehicle because he wanted to extend a simple courtesy.
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Ortom rejects political interpretation
The former governor also criticised attempts to link the vehicle to political activity.
He said leaders should not criminalise ordinary acts of kindness. According to him, political differences should not prevent Nigerians from helping one another.
Ortom described the controversy as unnecessary. He also accused the Alia administration of turning a harmless gesture into political propaganda.
He argued that leaders should receive praise for showing courtesy across political lines. They should not face attacks for helping fellow Nigerians.
The former governor further dismissed suggestions that his action showed disloyalty to President Bola Tinubu.
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Ortom addresses accusation of double loyalty
The controversy also raised questions about Ortom’s political position.
Ortom publicly supported Obi during the 2023 presidential election. However, he has since declared support for President Tinubu.
The former governor said his position remains clear. He insisted that he stands by candidates he publicly support.
He described the claim that he was secretly working for Obi as laughable.
Ortom argued that helping Obi with a vehicle did not cancel his current political position. He also rejected suggestions that the gesture made him “double-faced.”
His comments come as politicians prepare for another competitive election cycle.
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Alia’s government raises questions over vehicle
The dispute started after Obi visited Makurdi last Tuesday.
The former Anambra State governor planned to travel to Yelwata. He wanted to pay condolences to families affected by the June 2025 massacre.
However, some youths reportedly stopped his convoy around Gyado Villa. The location lies a few kilometres from the airport.
The incident triggered political reactions from both sides.
The Benue State Government later alleged that Ortom played a role in organising Obi’s visit. The government also pointed to the vehicle used by Obi after arriving in Makurdi.
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According to the government’s account, Obi travelled from the airport in a Toyota Land Cruiser linked to Ortom.
The vehicle reportedly carried registration number GWA 608 BT. The government said vehicle records connected it to the former governor.
Governor Alia’s media aide, Kula Tersoo, said the government obtained the information from Federal Road Safety Corps records.
Tersoo then questioned why Ortom would provide his vehicle to another presidential candidate. He based the question on Ortom’s stated support for Tinubu.
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Ortom says the gesture was humanitarian
Ortom’s response focused on the purpose of Obi’s visit.
He said Obi went to Benue to meet people affected by violence. Therefore, he considered transportation support a humane response to the situation.
The former governor also argued that Obi’s political identity should not change the meaning of the gesture.
For Ortom, helping a fellow former governor did not amount to endorsing his political campaign.
This distinction remains central to the dispute between Ortom and the Alia administration.
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Benue political tensions continue
The disagreement between Ortom and Alia adds another layer to Benue’s political tensions.
Both men have exchanged criticism since Alia succeeded Ortom as governor. Their latest dispute now involves Obi’s visit and the vehicle used during the trip.
The controversy also comes as politicians position themselves for the 2027 elections.
Political movements across Nigeria have already begun gathering momentum.
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Meanwhile, Obi’s political activities continue to attract attention across different states. His visits to communities affected by violence have also generated strong reactions.
His recent Benue trip became particularly controversial after his convoy could not reach Yelwata.
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Ortom stands by his decision
Despite the criticism, Ortom has defended his decision to provide the vehicle.
He said refusing Obi assistance would have been unnecessary and petty. He also rejected the suggestion that the gesture proved political disloyalty.
For the former governor, political disagreements should not erase basic courtesy.
His position is that leaders can support different political candidates while still treating one another with respect.
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The former governor’s explanation may not end the disagreement. However, it clarifies his reason for making the vehicle available to Obi.
Ortom insists that Ortom lent Obi his vehicle as a gesture of hospitality during a humanitarian visit.
The Benue State Government, however, has continued to question the circumstances surrounding Obi’s visit.
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The disagreement now places the focus on the wider political relationship between Ortom, Alia and Obi.
As the 2027 political season approaches, similar disputes could attract even more attention.
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For now, Ortom maintains that lending his vehicle to Obi did not carry any hidden political message. He sees it as a simple act of courtesy that should not have become a political controversy.
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The Benue political dispute is therefore likely to remain part of the wider conversation ahead of the 2027 elections.
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